Senior School Report

Message from the AP - Senior School

The Importance of Good Attendance

As a parent or carer, you always want the absolute best for your children growing up. Having a good education is a great head start in life and crucial in creating more opportunities in adult life.

Did you know that:

• A child who is absent a day of school per week misses an equivalent of two years of their school life.
• 90% of young people with attendance rates below 85% fail to achieve five or more good grades of VCE  and around one third achieve no ATAR at all!
• Poor examination results limit young people’s options.
• Attendance is crucial to enable VCE teachers to authenticate student work, if students are not in attendance teachers can not sign off on the successful completion of unit/s.
• Poor attendance suggests to colleges and employers that these students are unreliable.
• Poor school attendance can lead to potential involvement in anti-social behaviour - a quarter of school age offenders have truanted repeatedly.
• In Australia students who continue to complete studies at University are more likely to earn more. The 2023 Graduate Outcomes Survey – Longitudinal shows that freshly minted graduates who entered the workforce in early 2020 earned, on average, a salary of $65,000. But with three years’ experience under their belts, their median salaries had increased to $83,500 by 2023.

For postgraduates, the news was similarly upbeat. The median salary four to six months out of university was $88,700, rising to $108,000 three years later.

Students completing a TAFE Trade Qualification are also very highly paid.​

The Year 12 VCE examinations may seem a long way off, if you are in Year 10/11 for your child, but all absences at any stage of your child’s education leads to gaps in your child’s learning. This in turn can:

• Mean that they fall behind in work
• Lose motivation
• Impact on their enjoyment of learning
• Lead to poor behaviour
• Affect their desire to attend school regularly
• Affect their confidence in school
• Mean they miss out on the social life of school and extra-curricular opportunities and experiences
• Affect their ability to have or keep friendships

Supporting your Child's School Attendance

Good school attendance habits are best started early. Students learn from those around them and you as parents/carers set the standards and expectations for them. Showing your child the importance of attending school every day not only helps your child to settle quickly when starting school, but helps them to keep and maintain friendships and enjoy the school environment.

Be organised, have a plan, be consistent and involve your child.

You should:

• Create good routines for mornings at home so that your child can arrive punctually and they are properly equipped
• Talk to them about the things they have been learning. A short chat may produce a better result than a long list of questions
• Read all school communications such as Progress Reports, Compass posts about redemptions
• Attend school Student Led Conferences
• Check your child understands the homework and that it has been completed. Support them in completing homework by creating a calm space for them to work in
• Avoid absence from school wherever possible. Avoid GP and dental appointments during school hours. Absence means your child will miss out on academic studies and begin to feel that education is not a priority. This can have a negative lifelong effect

There tends to be good reasons why students become reluctant to attend school. Take the time to listen to your child, share any concerns you or your child may have with the appropriate member of school staff, and seek support at the very earliest opportunity.

Well done to our students and families whose attendance is at 90%.

Finally, please note that a student in Years 11 & 12 who's attendance has dropped below 80% will be deemed by their teachers to not be on track to successfully complete their VCE studies.

Glen Cowan

Assistant Principal - Senior School

Year 12 Update

Term 3 has reached the midpoint of the Term, and at writing this article we have roughly 30 school days remaining for the year 12’s! The year has been busy for the student’s but has flown by. Parents and guardians play a vital role in this point of the year as we support the years 12’s as they finalise unit 4 and continue to prepare for the final year 12 exams. Encourage your child to do the following strategies.

1. Academic Focus: Preparing for the Final Stretch

Term 3 is pivotal in consolidating knowledge and refining skills. With the end of year exams on the horizon, it’s important to focus on:

• Review and Revision: Make sure to allocate time each week for revising key concepts. Utilise past exams and practice papers to familiarise yourself with the format and types of questions you’ll encounter.
• Study Groups and Resources: Join or form study groups to benefit from collaborative learning. Utilise resources such as online tutorials, practice exams, and VCE-specific study designs and resources to enhance your preparation.
• Teacher Consultation: Don’t hesitate to reach out to your teachers for guidance and clarification on challenging topics. They are a valuable resource and can provide tailored advice to help you improve.

2. Important Dates and Deadlines

Mark your calendars for these essential dates:

• Practice Exams: Dates for practice exams will be taking place in Week 2 of Term 4. A timetable will be released at the end of Term 3.
• SAC’s: Ensure you’re aware of the deadlines for SAC’s. Plan ahead to avoid last-minute stress.
• VTAC applications - Most applications close on the September 30th at 5pm.

Upcoming Events

3. Wellbeing and Balance

Balancing study with personal wellbeing is crucial:

• Stress Management: Incorporate regular exercise, healthy eating, and adequate sleep into your routine. Managing stress through mindfulness or relaxation techniques can also be beneficial.
• Time Management: Create a study timetable that includes breaks and leisure activities. Balance is key to maintaining motivation and avoiding burnout.
• Wellbeing support: The ECSC wellbeing team offers a range of support services, including wellbeing support and academic stress management assistance. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help.

4. Parent and Guardian Involvement

Parents and guardians play a vital role in supporting VCE students:

• Communication: Stay in touch with your child’s teachers to monitor their progress and discuss any concerns.
• Encouragement: Offer support and encouragement as your child navigates their studies. Positive reinforcement can significantly impact their motivation and confidence.
• Home Environment: Provide a quiet, organised study space at home to help your child focus and be productive.

5. Looking Ahead

As we move forward into the final stages of the year, it’s important to stay focused and motivated. Set clear goals for yourself and work towards them with determination. Remember, every effort you put in now will contribute to your overall success.

• TSSM revision lectures - The college is looking forward to offering discounted TSSM September Holiday revision sessions for 12 students. 50 students have registered for 3 revision lectures for $60. This is a heavily subsidised program and will help students as they work diligently towards their final year exams.
• ECSC holiday seminars - ECSC will also be offering online revision seminars to help students prepare for their exams during the September holiday period. Each subject will offer a 90 minute revision session, with the timetable to be released soon.

Year 12 Study Skills and Motivation Session

The Year 12’s recently completed part 2 of the unleash your potential seminars with Darren Pereira. During this session the students covered how to study, motivation and goal setting. These key skills will help students as they finalise their unit 4 studies.

Fun Activities Around the College

Resin Pouring with the Year 12's

Guess the Savoury Snacks

This was a fun brain break that the Year 12 students participated in recently, with the winner getting the snacks. Rahma was the winner with a correct guess of 396 snacks. Well done!!

In the kitchen

Year 12 students in a recent Food Studies class making pizza from scratch. 

Year 11 Update

Year 11 Careers Expo Excursion

On Friday the 26th of July, the entire Year 11 cohort attended the Careers Expo at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. Students were given the opportunity to roam around the venue and speak to a range of different vendors that were stationed there to give information regarding different career and study pathways beyond secondary school. Our Year 11’s took advantage of this opportunity and came away with valuable knowledge and excitement for their future careers.

After the expo concluded, Year 11 students took part in a wellbeing and recreation activity of their choosing. Earlier in the year, the SRC representatives for Year 11 spoke to the cohort and made a list of potential activities for them to take part in. Students then chose out of bowling, laser tag, karaoke, aquarium, movies or mini golf. The whole day was a resounding success and feedback from students was that they had a fantastic time.

Year 10 Update

Year 10 Health Day

On Tuesday the 6th of August, Year 10 students participated in the Love Bites program as part of the Year 10 Health Day, presented by external facilitators. The program was created as a primary prevention initiative to reduce family and intimate partner violence. Students discussed and learnt about their rights and responsibilities in relationships and how to build healthy relationships. Feedback from the presenters were positive, stating that students were engaging with the activities and conversations, whilst having a safe space to share their opinions. 

Year 10 Macbeth Incursion 

For our text response unit this semester, Year 10 students have been exploring Shakespeare’s famous text - Macbeth. To enhance their study of William Shakespeare's Macbeth, Year 10 students participated in a 60-minute abridged performance of key scenes from the play, followed by a 30-min Q&A session with the cast where they were able to explore the values and ideas relevant to the play. 

This incursion supported students to develop their analysis of the key themes, quotes, symbols, and ideas of the text. It was a great alternative to a traditional class that helped to prepare our students for the level of academic rigour required of senior text response.

Year 10 Course Selection

On Wednesday the 24th of July, students and their parents attended a scheduled course selection meeting at the College. Teachers guided students to select an appropriate VCE pathway based on the Year 10 to 11 promotion policy, and the students intended pathway after Year 12.